The Plan
by sdollar
Summary: After a stressful therapy session with his patient Serenity, Dr. Caduto decides to see his own psychiatrist Dr. Lithe. Upon speaking with her, she urges a plan on Dr. Caduto and how to handle his difficult patient.


William Caduto had just ended his third therapy session with Serenity, a difficult but fascinating teenager. Her mother had insisted she see him, he specializes his teen counseling. She left him feeling aggravated, and somewhat intrigued. He wanted to call her, swat at the bait she loved to dangle in front of him.

But he had to remember his professional self. Will paced his office, his rug worn in the tracks he's recently been making. Ever since he took Serenity on as a patient his nights have gotten longer and he can't seem to get the sleep he used to. He picked up the phone, it was time to call Dr. Lithe and set up another appointment.

He started going to her at first, for the company, for someone to listen to him for once. His loneliness was suffocating at times. Pets never really ever stuck with him. He owned a dog once, but it ran away and never came back like most dogs do. Cats never took to him either, they always clung to his relatives more than him. He had a turtle but hated that it had the habit of eating fish. He settled for a hamster and some simple goldfish. He liked the simplicity of them, that they weren't a huge commitment.

He dialed her number and set up an appointment for later in the afternoon. When he reached her house he was amazed at its sterile beauty. The house was modern and almost made entirely of simple shapes and glass. He could see her waiting for him in her office, her silk blouse was white and she matched her surroundings perfectly. She was completely at home in her habitat.

She opened the gray door her straight cut hair perfect and smooth. Will shuffled his feet, seeing her almost made Serenity seem second rate...it was refreshing.

"William," she said with supple lips parted so slightly. "It's been a while since you've seen me."

He sighed. "I have a new patient."

She raised her full eyebrows and motioned for him to come in. Once he found the chair he used to sit frequently he relaxed. It still faced the massive widows that looked into her peaceful Japanese garden.

Dr. Lithe took her seat in the corner, just out of the corner of the window. She preferred her patients feeling like they weren't being examined. "So is she stable?" she asked.

"Yes, I mean no talk of suicide or anything."

"Then what do you think bothers you about her?"

The defensive words spilled fast out of him. "Who said I was bothered by her?"

Dr. Lithe tipped her chin up ever so slightly, her mouth open before quickly shutting it. He just gave her a vital piece. "Why don't you tell me why you came today? You know you can be honest with me. There is no need for us colleagues to be defensive or to play games."

Will rubbed his forehead. "Have you ever felt attached to your patients?"

She cocked her head. "I suppose we've all had moments where we want our patients to succeed."

"No," Will took a deep breath. "I mean interaction."

This time she smiled and Will found himself watching her more intently than he ever did with Serenity. This woman was intoxicating. She was more dangerous than Serenity, she didn't just dangle hoping for a catch...she knew when to pull the bait back or release a catch.

"Are you thinking of interacting with her?" Dr. Lithe asked.

"Why do you think it's a her?" Will replied.

"You seem tense, a little flustered. I have a feeling I'm right. But correct me if I'm wrong."

Will readjusted in his seat. "It's a girl-a woman. I just feel that she needs someone to interfere, outside of therapy. I know you've done this before so I was wondering about your thoughts on it."

Dr. Lithe bit her lip and chewed. When she first took Will on as a patient she rejected his affections, so much so that she referred him to another psychiatrist. A couple weeks into his new therapy with a different doctor Will felt like he was dying inside, regretting overstepping his boundaries. Then he received a bill from his last appointment, it said all business but it smelled sweet, delicate but sharp. The perfume was no Victoria's Secret like what Serenity would wear, this was Chanel or Burberry...it declared power.

"Are you speaking Will of _our _interaction?" she asked. Her words were loaded and heavy, a warning. She still smelled like that today, it was comforting to Will, to be around someone with a stern and focused hand.

He folded his hands. "We have a purely professional interaction," he said.

"I don't think you could have a purely professional relationship with this patient. Can I ask how old she is?"

Will hesitated. "She's eighteen," he said.

"A girl thinking she's a woman before she is one?" Dr. Lithe added.

"I think that's what I can't get my head around. She does things around me that aren't professional."

The both catch each other's eyes. Dr. Lithe doesn't look away. She doesn't squirm or try to distract him with her hands. Her stare says everything she wants to. William swallows, afraid he's irritated her again. He's finally found a companion, one that he has to pay for and while that aggravates him at times he would hate to lose her.

Finally she spoke. "Could it be possible that she's using you?"

"Definitely. She doesn't want to see me, her mother makes her. But there are times when I think she might have feelings for me."

Dr. Lithe pursed her lips. "How so?"

"Nevermind," he said.

"I thought we agreed to be completely honest if I was taking you back William."

"Do you have any wine?" he asked.

She nodded and brought out a ruby, red port. He brought Dr. Lithe a bottle after getting the perfumed bill. He apologized to her and begged for her to take him back as a patient. And she had smiled in that almost cat-like way and accepted, but only if he would professional and honest. Today, she decided to pick that very same wine, a silent reminder to him how easy she could let him go.

She removed the cork with ease and swiftly poured two glasses. She handed one to Will then took a sip herself. She swirled the glass's contents, waiting for Will's answer.

"Do you ever think you could see me as more than a patient?"

"Why?" she took another small sip.

"I wonder if Serenity could ever see me as more than her therapist."

"Why does that matter to you?"

He slouched more in the char. "I don't know. I'm afraid no one wants me when they don't need something."

"So are you thinking you could be friends?"

"I think I would like that? She's dealing with a lot of pressures in her life. Things her parents don't want to deal with. But she's smart, straight A student."

Dr. Lithe sat up straight. "So you want to mentor her?"

"I suppose," he said.

"You don't have any other intentions with her?"

"I think she's beautiful if that's what you're asking."

She inhaled the sweet but hard smell of her wine. "You know I'm not."

"Fine," he said. He took a swig of the berry but almost dark chocolaty finished wine. "I find her attractive, like I do you."

She smirked. "You know how much I value professionalism William."

"Yes, and I'm trying to look at things like you," he replied.

He wanted Dr. Lithe more so than Serenity. She had controlled him in such a polite and stern way, it was a huge professional and personal turn on to him. More so he respected her and her strength. She helped him get over being so alone and the commitment of burying his father.

"I respect that. I think you should consider what her motives are though."

"I think she knows that I'm lonely, that she thinks I'm pathetic and she toys with the idea of destroying me."

"Then let her think that. But keep your distance."

"But she insists on testing me," Will said.

"Then it's time you become smarter than her. If you really want to help her than it's time she learns this-"

"I don't want to punish her," he cut in.

Her finger caressed the rim of the thin wine glass. "You don't? Even when she's trying to destroy your professional career?"

"I don't think she understands that's what could happen."

"Let's not insult her. She's a straight A student. Surely her parents don't know how she's been treating her therapist."

"She hasn't done anything drastic yet. Nothing I could site as proof to them."

"I'm sure she will. If you lead her a certain way, she'll mess up eventually."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Will asked.

"I like to think what we have is a mutual and professional respect. I don't want a patient derailing you. I'd much rather see that happen to her."


End file.
